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May 9

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Wake up early to be a more productive writer: Here’s how

Some of the most productive people I know get up early. I know that when I get up early, I get more done and feel happier because of it. When I was in graduate school and working full-time, I knew I had to get up extra early if I was going to meet my deadlines. I also wanted to write in my dream state.

So I started getting up between 5 and 5:30 a.m. It was hard at first but I was motivated, and I found that after a few days, I’d automatically wake up.

Writing early in the morning doesn’t work for everyone. Some people are most productive in the evening after their children go to sleep or even in the middle of the night. But if you’re thinking of getting up earlier, here’s what I’ve learned, including several tips that might help you.

1. Think about what you’ll work on first thing in the morning. Each night, I write down two or three topics for free writing exercises or questions that I want to answer in my writing. Regardless of what you work on, having a plan sets the stage and alerts your inner artist to be ready. Read more

May 8

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A good story should punch you in the gut…and more

Christopher Vogler, author of The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, has been a consultant for Hollywood studios for years. He has helped guide story development for movies such as The Wrestler, Black Swan, The Lion King, The Fight Club, and The Thin Red Line.

I had the honor of learning from Vogler at the Story Masters Workshop last year. One of the things I still remember from his lecture was when he said, “If your story does not make two or more organs of your body squirt fluids, it’s no good.”

Say, what? Squirt fluids? Yes, that’s what he said. And it makes perfect sense once you know what he means. Read more

May 7

Add poetry to your writing repertoire

April may have been National Poetry Month but poetry is a mainstay in our writing life here at OneWildWord. Writing and publishing poetry or short stories is a great way to build up your artist resume while working on longer manuscripts.

Below are three of our most popular posts on different aspects of writing poetry. We hope you enjoy them!

How do you know when your poem or story is done? In this post, Carly shares her thoughts and those of poet Mary Jo Bangs on when a poem feels “done.”

Queen of the list: How I transformed compulsive list making into art is about creating lists to use in your prose or poetry. If you have a compulsion for list making, why not turn it into something useful?

This post answers the question, What makes a good metaphor? And how do you know when a metaphor is working?

May 6

Four contests to energize your writing life

One good way to inject some energy into your writing is by entering contests. Sending out your work helps create focus and momentum and if you win, cash and publishing credits aren’t bad either.

Here are four contests that came across my e-mail this week. For more, check out Poets & Writers Writing Contests, Grants & Awards page.

The New Letters Literary Awards
Prize: $1,500 each for poetry, fiction and essay
Entry fee: $15
Deadline: May 18, 2013
Contest details Read more

May 3

Pitching your manuscript: How does your book compare to others?

As I revise my memoir, I’ve been thinking about how to pitch it. One of the first questions agents and editors consider when they’re pitched is how they’ll sell your book. Where does it fit on the bookstore shelf? What category does it fit on Amazon or Barnes and Noble? How will they describe your book when they pitch it to publishers?

This is where you need to know titles that are comparable to yours. You’ll use this information in your book proposal and if you find an opportunity to pitch agents and editors at a writers conference. Listing comparable titles offers context and helps agents and editors fix your book and its genre in their minds as they read the first pages.

To figure out how to compare your book to others, start with your reading list. You should be pretty familiar with your genre, and you may find appropriate titles from your book collection. Read more

May 2

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Rituals of famous writers revealed

Whether you’re driven to writing with ideas exploding inside of you like Ray Bradbury or you take an hour later in the day to go over your morning pages like Joan Didion or you write in the middle of the living room with all kinds of white noise around you like E.B. White, you most likely have a writing routine or writing rituals you practice to make sure you get your words on paper.

Or, maybe, like Benjamin Franklin, you start each morning by asking yourself a question, “What good shall I do this day?” And you end each evening with another question, “What good have I done today?” Read more

May 1

What would you change if today was your last day?

What if you knew today was your last day on Earth? What would you wish?

The older I get, the more urgency I have to push forward with my writing goals. The idea of remembering you are going to die is one of the best ways to let go of fears and resistance. As a reminder, I’ve posted near my desk this quote by Apple founder Steve Jobs:

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

In January 2009, businessman Ric Elias had a front-row seat on Flight 1549, the plane that crash-landed in the Hudson River in New York. In this 5-minute TedTalk, you’ll hear what went through his mind in the moments before impact. See how surviving the crash led Elias to rethink how he lives his life.

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